Amal Clooney calls out Trump for attacking the press – AOL

She may have had husband George Clooney by her side, but there was another man on Amal Clooney’s mind when she took to the stage at Wednesday night’s United Nations Correspondents Association Awards: President Trump.

As the event’s Global Citizen of the Year honoree, the international human rights lawyer gave an impassioned speech about the threats to the safety of journalists, citing specific cases of imprisonment in Myanmar and by “autocratic regimes” around the globe. She then brought up Trump, accusing him of emboldening others to attack the press.

“The U.S. president has given such regimes a green light and labeled the press in this country the enemy of the people,” the Lebanese-British lawyer told the crowd gathered in New York City, alluding to his frequent condemnation of “fake news” and insults aimed at news outlets like CNN.

Though Clooney’s words make her a target of the next Trump Twitter tirade, many are applauding her defense of the press. Others, however, have complained that more attention has been given to her navy J. Mendel gown than her speech.

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Amal Clooney at UN

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United Nations, New York, USA, September 28, 2018 – Amal Clooney During an Event on Press Behind Bars: Undermining Justice and Democracy today at the UN Headquarters in New York City. (Photo by Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire/NurPhoto/Sipa USA)

Attorney Amal Clooney speaks during the Press Behind Bars: Undermining Justice and Democracy event during the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 28, 2018. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

United Nations, New York, USA, September 28, 2018 – Amal Clooney During an Event on Press Behind Bars: Undermining Justice and Democracy today at the UN Headquarters in New York City. (Photo by Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire/NurPhoto/Sipa USA)

United Nations, New York, USA, September 28, 2018 – Amal Clooney During an Event on Press Behind Bars: Undermining Justice and Democracy today at the UN Headquarters in New York City. (Photo by Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire/NurPhoto/Sipa USA)

Reuters Editor-in-Chief Stephen Adler and attorney Amal Clooney participate in the Press Behind Bars: Undermining Justice and Democracy event during the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 28, 2018. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

United Nations, New York, USA, September 28, 2018 – Amal Clooney During an Event on Press Behind Bars: Undermining Justice and Democracy today at the UN Headquarters in New York City. (Photo by Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire/NurPhoto/Sipa USA)

Reuters Editor-in-Chief Stephen Adler and attorney Amal Clooney participate in the Press Behind Bars: Undermining Justice and Democracy event during the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 28, 2018. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton